A Gallic street lamp from La Rochelle,
France will be installed along Park Terrace in early October
as part of Mischa Kuball’s progressive art project
Solidarity Grid.

The sleek silver lamp
donated by the French city of La Rochelle as a gesture of
solidarity during Christchurch’s recovery and rebuild
process is a physical representation of France’s support
for Christchurch during this time of rebuild.

A
dedication ceremony for Solidarity Grid will take
place during the Opening Weekend of the SCAPE 8 Public Art
Christchurch Biennial onSaturday 3 October at 4pm
on the Armagh Street Bridge, at the Park Terrace end of
Armagh Street. It is a free event open to the community and
Germany-based artist Mischa Kuball will also be in
attendance to discuss and celebrate his
work.

“Mischa Kuball’s Solidarity Grid
is a special body of work” says SCAPE Public Art
Director Deborah McCormick. “It is great to see
the collection of street lamps building along Park Terrace,
and interesting to note the unique perspective each donor
city takes through the lamp they kindly provide. Some are
very elaborate, such as Wuhan, China’s custom-made lamp,
others like La Rochelle are more subtle and reflective of
daily life in their city.”

Cultural counsellor
at the French Embassy, Mr Raynald Belay said “the Embassy
of France and the city of La Rochelle are delighted to be
taking part in Solidarity Grid, developing the ties
between La Rochelle and Christchurch. Links between
the two regions are longstanding with of course the notable
arrival in Akaroa during the mid-nineteenth century of the
French from Charente-Maritime, the region in which La
Rochelle is located. This project is an enlightened gesture
of solidarity and for the people of France, it is a
demonstration of our desire to positively impact on and be
present in the rebuild of Christchurch.”

SCAPE Public
Art and the Embassy of France in New Zealand together
approached La Rochelle city council to be involved in the
project. The two cities are now united through the positive
symbolism of light, strengthening ties between New Zealand
and France.

La Rochelle is a
seaport city on the Atlantic coast of France. The
Renaissance architecture, secret passageways and stone
gargoyles bear witness to the city’s heritage as a fishing
and trade stronghold since the 12th century. The picturesque
Vieux Port (old port) contrasts with modern marina, Les
Minimes, where over 3,500 yachts are moored in the tepid
waters.

About Solidarity grid

Mischa
Kuball’s Solidarity Grid is a legacy art project
commissioned by the Christchurch City Council’s Public Art
Advisory Group and produced by SCAPE Public Art over a
period of three years, which began during the SCAPE 7 Public
Art Christchurch Biennial in 2013.

Solidarity Grid
is based on the act of giving and the positive symbolism of
light. The project will bring a single streetlamp from each
of 21 cities around the world to Christchurch, by the end of
2015.

Reflective of its donor city, each lamp has a very
different look which makes an exciting, explorative trail
along Park Terrace for cyclists and pedestrians. The lamps
are donated by cities as a gesture of solidarity during
Christchurch’s recovery and rebuild process.

The
SCAPE 8 Public Art Christchurch Biennial entitled New
Intimacies is a Public Art Walkway to help people create new
memories and re-connect with the changed Christchurch
landscape.Curated by Rob Garrett, it will take place between
3 October and 15 November 2015.www.scapepublicart.org.nz/scape-8/

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